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album review

So…a new album just came out yesterday by one of my favorites The 1975! I know, exciting. I just wanted to give it a shout out, and let everyone know they should check it out. It is such an eclectic mix of 80’s sounds and new age electronic layers. Mix in Matt Healy’s unique, accented voice and you got a great album.

ISLAND recently released an EP, and oh my goodness, is it ever amazing. Turner was searching for new music and came across the song “I’ve been searching.” She shared it with me, and of course I had to check out the EP.

So after doing a little research, I learned that ISLAND is a four-piece band based out of London. They have a really cool presence in their photos and an awesome style.

Their EP includes four tracks:

Stargazer

Girl

I’ve Been Searching

Nighttime Written Blues

It’s hard to decide where to start, but let me share the words that came to mind when listening to these songs. Cool. Breezy. Soul. I also had a constant image of sitting on a beach at night while some strummed away on a guitar. Each song was a masterful concoction of clever guitar riffs and drum beats. The lead singer’s voice is so soothing that it lulls you into a trance, one where you listen to the music over and over. I found myself listening to each song several times because there are so many carefully constructed layers of beats and chords that you can’t listen to them all at the same time.

Each specific song had a common theme, the band’s particular sound was evident, but they still managed to make each one unique. That’s defiantly a challenge some other bands have failed at, but not this one. One strange talent that this band possesses is the ability to end a song in the perfect way. They just have this knack for knowing whether to draw out the ending with soft chords or end it suddenly.

In regards to specific songs, the EP could be divided into two groups. Edgy/grungy and melodic/slowed-down. The first two tracks fall into the first category and the last two fall into the second. This mix is great, because it shows what ISLAND is capable of doing.

I’m constantly impressed with the indie music coming out of the UK and I swear the Brits were blessed by the musical gods to create sweet music for the world. It’s rare I find an album or EP in which I love every song on it, but this one hit the nail of the head. Five stars for ISLAND!

Take a listen to two of the tracks here and let me know what you think.

So Nothing But Thieves just dropped their album this morning, and I have to say, I’m impressed.

They had released a single, “Graveyard Whistling” some time ago, and every since then, I’ve been waiting to see what else this band had to offer.

The first thing that I noticed after a listen through was the attention that appeared to be paid to each track. Each song was wholly different than the other. That, to me, is a reassuring sign. Next, I liked the interspersing of emotional raw tracks between the hard-hitting ones. You get used to heavy guitar and drum loops and suddenly you’re floating on a steady current of soft acoustic bars and painful lyrics.

I love this band’s ability to create resonating emotion in the listener. Each track makes you feel something different. You feel energized and pumped up and suddenly you feel broken and uneasy. The album in it’s entirety has a very independent, haunting feel.

Because the album cover itself is just as much a part of the album, let’s talk about that. The image of this shadowy horse galloping forward, through what looks like fog, conjures a feeling of mystery and intrigue. It’s simple, but doesn’t give too much away.

Personally, my favourite tracks are:

If I get High

Hostage

Lover, Please Stay

Drawing Pins

Tempt You (Evocatio)

All in all, this album deserves 5 bright stars. I can’t say enough, so I’ll just leave my praise at that. Here’s a little sample for you….